Chapter 70
In the training at the Orb Tower, the smaller the difference between the initial diameter and the compressed diameter, the higher the difficulty. If the density of the compressed orb is low, it’s hard to maintain a Stable Form.
The first day of Closed Training.
Ten-year-old Vargan had an initial diameter of the orb at 1m, and the compressed diameter at 5cm. He was able to build the tower up to 10 floors.
Needless to say, he surpassed my mana output and precision even with the reduction due to the relic.
Even though the initial diameter and compressed diameter we created were the same, I could only manage up to the 7th floor.
That kid finished every task faster than I did, and the quality was even better.
But if I get swept up in my opponent’s pace and let even a slight disruption or distraction slip in, my growing tower would collapse, and the orb’s shape would be lost.
“……”
Even now.
The supplier, who resembled the ten-year-old Vargan, stared at me after building a 10-floor orb tower. There was no emotion in that gaze, but I couldn’t say it was particularly pleasant.
As I challenged the 8th floor, my tower crumbled.
“Again.”
There was no time to waste feeling dejected.
As soon as I gave the order, the supplier shoved all the mana he had created into his mouth. All the mana was given by me. When he spends the mana, his strength decreases.
Thus, the orbs made of pure mana mostly return to the supplier’s body to serve as the energy source.
I even handed over my built tower to that guy.
Without a word, he accepted it and shoved it into his mouth as well.
No matter how high the level is, it’s to make up for the loss incurred while generating mana orbs.
As time goes on, my mana continues to dwindle, but the supplier faces no losses.
… I continued to train.
And, of course, the supplier completed a stable tower before me.
*
On the 3rd day of Closed Training.
Still, in front of my eyes, it was not anyone else but the ten-year-old Vargan stacking his tower. The supplier kept building the tower without tiring. I mean, the word “tired” is inaccurate. The concept of stamina doesn’t even exist.
Alicia checked on my status once a day and brought me meals, but I hadn’t touched food once. That time felt too precious. I hadn’t even reached a level where I could build while eating.
At least until I surpass the ten-year-old Vargan, I plan to forgo food and dedicate myself entirely.
Once again, the supplier’s tower reached the 10th floor.
I was currently at the 8th floor, having completed it and attempting the 9th.
After three days of immersion without a moment’s rest, the outcome was barely raising the tower by one more floor… It made me keenly feel how valuable and brilliant talent truly is. At this point, I’m just at the level of an average genius.
The primary achievement condition is the initial diameter of 1m and the compressed diameter of 5cm for 10 floors.
The 10th floor.
The 10th floor must be perfect compared to that kid’s for me to move on to the next stage. Only then can I challenge with a smaller initial diameter.
I can challenge with a smaller initial diameter.
It’s just a duel with myself, yet somehow tension and fighting spirit ignite. At the same time, laughter escapes through the flow. How delightful it is to have the target clearly in sight; it’s a fitting reason to rejoice.
The ability to see immediate results, beyond mere training, is a small happiness in itself.
Zziiiing?
I pull more mana from the magical circuit and push myself harder. Next to me, 10-year-old Vargan’s emotionless gaze is directed my way.
Despite the fact that his eyes are devoid of thought or sentiment, they somehow prick at my nerves and boil my insides.
Facing a genius like him feels pitiful, yet there’s no time to stop.
…Yeah, I admit it. This childish and simmering emotion is rivalry. I will definitely surpass that guy sooner or later.
*
Day 7 of closed training.
Finally, I can eat after a long while.
I didn’t start with bread or meat; I hurriedly gulped down water.
For a moment, I forgot the dignity of a noble and indulged in the pleasure of this life-giving liquid. Was there ever water this delicious in my life? The taste was extraordinary.
Having survived an entire week without a single sip of water, only sustaining myself on refined mana, the thirst and hunger were overwhelming.
I was also nearing my limit from lack of sleep, but after finishing my meal and replenishing my energy, I reorganized my internal mana and felt at ease again.
It seems I won’t need to sleep until I finish closed training.
Honestly, it would have been fine to drink water during training, but I didn’t do it as a determination to motivate myself even more.
One could say it’s the minimum requirement for resuming normal life.
If I couldn’t manage even this, I’d blame myself for wanting to do other things, thinking of precautions.
Even before my reincarnation, I often immersed myself in something in a similar way. Compared to then, my current situation is significantly better.
Wriggle, wriggle.
The form of 10-year-old Vargan, who had been quietly observing me, starts to change into a new appearance.
The completed supplier shows the visage of an 11-year-old Vargan. His limbs have grown longer, and surprisingly, at this young age, his body lines, like his jawline, are sharply defined. Not bad for a kid.
“I’m starting right away.”
I hastily finish my meal in less than 2 minutes and continue training. I’ve already perfectly mastered the initial diameter of 1m and a compressed diameter of 5cm up to the 10th floor.
Now it’s time to move on to the next step.
I set the initial diameter not at 1m, but at 75cm and compressed it to 5cm.
With the compressed size being the same, if the initial volume shrinks, the density of the completed mana orb decreases, making it more difficult to maintain its form.
Glancing over, 11-year-old Vargan seems to effortlessly create orbs as if produced by a factory. In no time, he builds up to the 10th floor.
Soon, he sets the initial diameter to 50cm and begins stacking.
“…I see. Is that how you want to play?”
It doesn’t take willpower, but I clearly feel something from him, and I smashed the mana orb I was creating.
From 1m to 50cm. Suddenly, the difficulty has doubled.
However, that was something the past Vargan did.
No matter the restrictions, can’t I do it now too?
I began compressing a mana orb with a diameter of 50cm.
Even knowing this feeling is childish, its innocence makes it all the more effective.
*
Day 13 of closed training.
11-year-old Vargan, this kid is insane.
Just turned 11. It’s only a year later, but his progress is outrageous. Objectively speaking, he may not reach Alicia’s level, but he’s definitely a tier below that.
The rivalry that was lifting me up seems to have burned down to ashes, and now even the shameful emotion of defeat is threatening to fill the space.
The shameful emotions attempt to fill the space.
That kid’s tower, initially 50 cm in diameter and compressed down to 5 cm, now stands at 10 layers.
On the other hand, I’m still at 8 layers.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue in dissatisfaction.
Honestly, even just decreasing the diameter to 50 cm made it difficult to control. When I first faced the 11-year-old Vargan, I barely managed to build up 3 layers, let alone 8.
‘Still, there was a glimmer of hope.’
The 11-year-old Vargan was definitely a formidable opponent.
Up until he turns 13, Vargan will surely continue his disciplined training, so it wouldn’t be surprising for his achievements to surge in just one year. In fact, I’m amazed that I’ve come this far.
However, the moment I succeeded in stacking 8 layers,
I finally got the hang of it.
No matter how difficult the task is, if you spend all day doing the same thing without interruption, you’ll develop a knack for it and start to see a way forward.
Even if my output or total amount might significantly drop, the level of precision skyrocketed. I’ve stepped into realms that geniuses don’t even realize they’ve passed by, and I’m flying through it.
“Phew…”
I slowly inhaled, cooling down my overheated mana circuits, and infused energy to sharpen my mind.
Once I grasped the feeling, it was time to surge ahead.
I felt like I was on the brink of realizing something new. No exact proof, but it wasn’t far off.
That hope moved my body.
*
And so, on the 20th day of closed training, the last day.
Alicia stepped forward to Vargan’s door for a long-awaited examination.
Soon, Vargan’s closed training would come to an end. That fact filled Alicia with excitement.
Arriving at the door, she naturally grabbed the doorknob and turned it. No knocking; that was one of his prohibitions.
She opened the door carefully, ensuring no noise would irritate his nerves. The room, as always recently, was filled with darkness…
“Huh?”
With an unexpected sight, a sound escaped from Alicia’s lips.
She looked around. The lights were on, making the room bright. Everything was neatly organized, with not a speck of dust in sight.
Walking toward the presumed room where her master was seated, an inexplicable flutter resonated within Alicia’s body as she drew closer.
And then.
“You’ve come, Alicia.”
Despite his precise and tidy posture, the unique nonchalance he exuded blended well. He was in the midst of releasing a relic he had placed upon himself.
The bracelet on his wrist made a peculiar sound as it activated the spell. It was a release magic, and it didn’t last long.
Zuuung?!
The lock was unlocked.
“…!!”
The overwhelming sensation of large volumes of water rushing in as if a dam had burst. The sudden reestablishment and expansion of mana output created a vibration, resulting in a pressure wave.
Every object in Vargan’s room shook or toppled from the impact, and the parchment stacked on the desk scattered around the room like a flock of doves.
Alicia’s white hair fluttered in the wind’s influence. She captured the transformed figure of Vargan with her blue eyes.
There was no change in appearance. He looked just as he always did.
However, the internal changes were so striking that it felt overtly displayed, almost showing off.
The concentration and output of Vargan’s magical power, as well as his total mana, had grown dramatically.
It was reminiscent of the first time I witnessed Vargan slaughtering a priest-level Altife. The awe I felt then gave me goosebumps.
Alicia was experiencing that same feeling once again.
“Oh ho… not bad.”
Vargan clenched and relaxed his fists several times, focusing his magical energy, then dispersed it again.
He quickly checked for any side effects, inspecting how much he had grown.
Observing the changes in his body, he checks for any side effects and how much he has grown.
Then he saw it.
In his joy, he cheered loudly enough for anyone to hear.
“Yes, that was it! That’s the place…!”
“Young Master…?”
To Vargan, the Alisia before him and the objects around her were invisible. His gaze was not directed outward but inward.
A vast river where all the ley lines converge, swollen to immense proportions.
Vargan stands above it.
What enters his vision is the intense sunlight that bestows light upon the world, and the shimmering surface of the river that reflects it. He tries to look further to the end and sees it.
Finally, he could see it.
He could finally take it in.
The boundary between the sea and the river.
A world so vast it could leave one’s mouth agape beyond the river.
He realizes that the initial stage is much closer now.
That expansive world is definitely.
「The Realm of Transcendence」
He can elevate his total mana to the level of transcendence. This is no longer a prediction, but a certainty. If he continues on this path, it won’t be long before he achieves it!
The mana realm that the original Vargan could never attain.
While he has yet to surpass his prime in the fields of curse or familiar magic, he is far ahead in mana.
Once the total mana reaches the realm of transcendence, lifting other fields will become much easier.
Moreover, he is now ready to enter the domain of unique spells.
‘No… No. I need to change my plan. Now that transcendence is right before my eyes, it’s clear.
It’s beneficial to raise my total mana to the level of transcendence and study unique spells. It may seem like it will take some time, but in the end, it’s the fastest way.’ In fact, entering the realm of unique spells was possible since curse magic climbed to comprehension.
However, it was postponed because one must enter under conditions of significantly elevated total mana to achieve effective results.
There’s no feeling of regret.
Knowing he can become stronger definitively, he is not the kind of fool to ignore that and proceed.
The longer wine is aged, the better its taste.
The unique spell he will create will be the same.
A long smile crept across Vargan’s lips.
The emergence of a clear destination and a sense of omnipotence like a gentle drizzle soaked his body.
Unlike other forms of magic, the only person whose mana has reached the realm of transcendence is none other than the Chancellor of Academia.
Even at this level, what could he accomplish if he becomes as vast as the sea? To what extent can he reach?
He wants to see it.
He wants to experience it.
He wants to explore it.
The research spirit for magic hidden within the original Vargan intersects with his inherent traits, producing a massive synergy.
His thirst for the realm he has yet to step into burns wildly!
“Young Master.”
A clear voice.
His mind snaps back at the delicate sound.
Alisia, with a perfectly clean smile devoid of any taint, spoke.
She seemed to be praising Vargan.
“Really… you’ve worked so hard.”
“…….”
Vargan thinks.
Worked hard… Worked hard, huh?
Am I the one who’s worked hard?
In other words, am I the one who overexerted myself?
That’s ridiculous.
It was not overexertion, just the meticulous execution of a plan I had set in place. To call this hard work is absurd.
…One thing.
He doesn’t want to scold her now. For now, let’s savor the feeling of achievement honestly.
“…Yes. Thank you.”
He replied with refined emotions.
On Vargan’s desk stood a single ten-story Orb Tower. The orb’s diameter was 5 cm. This was pure mana without compression.
At the same time, the 14-year-old Vargan, who had been observing it in silence, vanished without a trace.
